Key for musical instruments



(No Model.)

A. L. WITHEREL KEY FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

No. 540,288. Patented June 4,1895.

q/Vi i new so UNITED STATES PATENT OEEicE.

ALVAH L. IVITHEREL, OF PORT HURON, MICHIGAN.

KEY FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

SPEGIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 540,288, dated June 4, 1895. Application filed J ly 3, 1894. Eerial No. 516,463- (llc model.)

To (tZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALVAH L. WITHEREL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Port I'Iuron,in the county of St. Clairand State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Keys for Musical Instruments; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a partof this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in keys for instruments which are operated by a lever key, such as pianos and organs.

The object of my invention is, first, to construct an adjustable key which can be applied at dilferent parts of the keyboard of the instrument, and shifted at will; second, an adjust able key so held by its supporting mechanism that the pressure required to depress it is equal at whatever point it is touched by the finger of the performer; third, a key which produces the same effect if depressed at either end; fourth, a key without pivots, held by an elastic attachment. I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side view of the keys and supporting mechanism and method of attachment and the supplemental key or elastic finger in section. Fig. 2 isaview of the under side of the keys, showing method of attachment; Fig. 3, an end view of a key, showing spring, channel, bu fling, and position of spring when at rest.

Similar letters refertosimilar parts throughout the several views.

In Fig. 1, A corresponds to the white or ivory key and B the black or ebony key, which are both attached to the sliding support, 0 by means of the fiat spring, I). Said spring is attached at its ends to the sliding support, 0 and also to the key, A, by means of screws or other suitable method. The spring plays in a channel in A as shown in section, which is cut in said key with width sufficient for the said spring. The key B is provided with a similar spring, attached in the same manner,

also playing in a channel cut in said key. The end of key A and also key 13, nearest the sliding support 0, plays freely in a channel made by the insertion of tlat strips of metal, h, in the sliding support 0. At the end of A which is farthest from G, lateral motion is checked by the pin, 6, which is inserted in a strip, f, which is attached to the front casing, F. At the ends of the keyboard, F is attached to G and moves with it when the key is shifted. The upward movement of A is checked by the stop, g. The pin, 6 plays in a slot cut in A. Lateral movement of the key 13 is prevented by the key A.

The line G represents the contour of the keyboard of the instrument upon which the keys A and B are placed. The supplemental key or finger, E is attached to the back casing by the spring a, which plays in a channel in E in the same manner as the springs attached to A and B operate in the channels cut in A and B. The back casing, D, rests stationary on the instrument. The elastic finger, E, is placed between the black keys of the instrument upon which the improved key is to be operated, and is of exactly the same height as the black keys on the instrument. The keys A B and the front casing, F, admit of a sliding lateral movement, as the front casing is integral with C and moves upon the stationary casing, D, to which it is at tached by means of a dovetailed section fitting in a slot cut in G. This allows the keys A and B to slide over the keyboard of the instrument, and over the finger E. So in whatever position the keys A, B, are placed, they will rest either upon the black keys of the instrument or upon the finger, E.

The casing D and the spring a, are provided with buffing where they come in contact with the instrument. Shown at cl and c.

In Fig. 2 the under sides of keys A and Bare shown, with the method of attachment to the sliding back, 0, by means of the springs, Z), h, b. The slot in which the pin 6 plays is shown, and the catch, g.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view, in cross section, of A, and shows the channel in which the spring plays, the spring and the bufling.

Each key has a projection on the lower side, on the end nearest the sliding support, 0,

which passes under C far enough to prevent the key from slipping 0E. This is shown at 2', Figs. 1 and 2.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A key for musical instruments, having a cut-away under face and a yielding support extending across the cut-away portion and having its end secured to the key at a point beyond the cut-away portion.

2. In a musical instrument, the combination with the casing, of a key having a channeled under face, and a supporting spring extending lengthwise across the channel and adapted to move therein and fixedly secured at its W itnes'sesi S. A. WOOD, J NO. M. GLEASON. 

